Crushed sample ready for ExoMars rover analysis

Composite image of the Core Sample Transport Mechanism (CSTM) taken by ExoMars' PanCam camera, with and without sample.

The test in Turin with Amalia was considered a success when, on day four, the drill acquired a sample in the shape of a pellet of about 1 cm in diameter and delivered it to the laboratory that is inside the rover’s belly.

Once the drill was completely retracted, the pellet was dropped into a drawer that withdrew and transferred the sample into a crushing station. The resulting powder was distributed to ovens and containers for scientific analysis.

This was the third successful deep drilling test on Earth for the European wheeled laboratory, an operation crucial to answer the question of whether there was, or is, life on the Red Planet.